New AAPT CEO vows not to be anti-NBN

David Yuile plans to change AAPT's outward stance on the National Broadband Network (NBN) as he steps into the CEO role formerly held by Paul Broad, who has been known in the industry for making several controversial comments against the $35.9 billion project.

David Yuile plans to change AAPT's outward stance on the National Broadband Network (NBN) as he steps into the CEO role formerly held by Paul Broad, who has been known in the industry for making several controversial comments against the $35.9 billion project.

David Yuile (Credit: AAPT)

Yuile told ZDNet Australia that, unlike Broad, who often talked about the economic platform surrounding the NBN, things will be different with his appointment into the role, and he has a lot more interest in the industry and technology.

"I'll be a commentator, but I'm not Paul," he said. "I've got my own opinions. They're not the same."

Broad has stated that the NBN, as it currently stands, is anti-competitive, recreating another Telstra, and should not be in government hands.

"The reason why Telstra is not in government hands is because the government is incompetent at running business. To see a government running business is mind-bogglingly stupid," Broad told ZDNet Australia last year.

Yuile is looking to move past the debate and concentrating on getting the company on-board with the inevitable roll-out of the network.

"I've got a very clear commercial view about things. I think, inevitably, you're going to see a very different point around NBN from us as well," he said.

"The reality is that the NBN, from our point of view, is a great opportunity. It's something that's going to happen. I think the only question people would have is how quickly?"

While Yuile is coming from a COO position that is normally thought of as being highly technical, he has been CEO of many companies in the past, including security company 90 East, and his COO role has involved day-to-day contact with customers.

"We'll be changing some of the day-to-day activity that I used to take care of before at a technical level, but I'll be spending a lot more time with customers."

In addition, Yuile said that he would be keeping tabs on the company's product development.

"It's an area we'd like to improve upon and get better at. We've got an exciting range of products I'd like to keep tabs on in particular."